"Love you Shy," she kissed her son on the cheek.
Shiloh pouted for all of three seconds. "I love you too mama"
"Bye Hol. Thank you again, I don't know what I'd do if you had a life" she winked at her friend as she retreated to the door.
"I'm amazed you have other babysitters with the way you treat me." Holly teased while bouncing the four year old on her hip.
"Be good you two, only take over like half the world" Gail smiled and closed the door behind herself without another word.
Holly spun around at the sound of the door, "alright.. What do you want to do Shy?"
Shiloh tapped his finger on his chin, deep in thought of all possibilities for the rest if the day. Once the idea popped in his head he jumped up as much as he could in Holly's arms and shouted "Lightsaber fight!"
Holly giggled and agreed, she set the boy down so he could grab the swords and anything else they'd need for the battle. She smiled to herself at the excited giggles emanating from down the hall, those giggles along with everything else that came from that boy was almost magic to Holly. Music to her ears. Nothing but love and happiness.
She'd been there through it all, pregnancy scare to morning sickness, reading and research and classes, three in the morning cravings, shopping and preparing, finding one night stands, nesting, birth and raising. Gail was her best and closest friend, Shiloh was her favourite tiny human, so the three of them spent a lot of time together and Holly was the first one called when she needed someone to watch him.
They had a Lightsaber battle that lasted until Holly accidentally knocked over a picture frame, effectively shattering the glass and putting her in debt of one new frame. Then Holly put on some cartoons, which they snuggled together on the couch watching between each time she had to do something for dinner. Dinner was eaten sitting on cushions at the coffee table while they watched a documentary on dinosaurs -something Shiloh picked up because of Holly-, which continued keep Shy glued to the tv while Holly washed dishes and cleaned up a bit for Gail. They did a couple puzzles then got ready for bed and read a few books.
"Mommy didn't make it to say goodnight."
If Holly hadn't had her eyes on him, listening intently she wouldn't have caught the sad words. It was a small stab to the chest, seeing Shiloh with down cast eyes and blue laced in his voice. She traced a finger up and down his dark cheek -such a contrast to Gail, Holly thought. Everything about his physical features was in contrast of the blonde. He was dark skinned with black tight curly hair, freckles littered his cheeks and nose, but his eyes the exact colour of Gail's- to try and comfort while also getting his attention.
"Wanna see if we can call her?" Holly offered hopefully.
He nodded slowly, timid.
Holly pulled out her phone and hit her speed dial for Gail. It rang through to her voicemail so she tried again and it was picked up within the second ring.
"What's up Doc?"
"Shiloh wanted to say goodnight" Holly smiled at the boy.
"I can't say no to that, put him on" she could hear the smile in Gail's voice as she handed Shiloh her phone.
"Hi mama" Shy was gradually sinking into a lazy smile, sleep was starting to win over as he listened to whatever Gail was telling him. Holly's heart fluttered when the boy giggled and told his mother how silly she was.
"I love you mama... Nighty night night" Shy had his eyes closed at this point and weakly held the phone out, waiting for Holly to take it.
Holly caressed his cheek, kissed his forehead, whispered a goodnight and took the phone before turning off his lamp and walking out the door. Once on the stairs, a safe distance from his room, she greeted Gail again.
"I don't think I'll be back until sometime in the middle of the night, so try not to stink up my clothes or my bed."
Holly chuckled. "I'll try not to as long as you don't wake me when you get in"
There was a pause as Gail thought about it, Holly sprawled out on the couch in the living room. "No promises. Oliver's coming over, I gotta go."
"Later Gail."
"Smell ya later Nerd." And with that the line went dead.
"Wade up mommies!" Was being shouted throughout the room. Followed by the bed being jumped on every few seconds.
Suddenly it stopped and was replaced with giggles and squirming, Holly opened one eye to find Gail's hand fast at work tickling the four year old with her own eyes sealed closed. They both smiled despite themselves.
"Uncle! Uncle!" Shiloh managed through fits of laughter. Gail's hand froze over his tummy.
"Are you done with the ungodly wake up call?" Gail questioned, her eyes still hadn't opened.
Shy nodded but when there was no reply he spoke. "Yes, as long as my mommies are up. I'm hungry."
That's when Gail's eyes shot open, Holly's wide with the same shock.
"Baby you only have one mommy, me. Holly is your auntie not your mom." Gail recovered faster and cleared the air with a clarification.
His face bunched up for a second before he shook his head. "Noooo. We love Holly more than any of my aunties, so that means she's my mommy" Shiloh reasoned with a tone that said we should all know this and stop being silly.
Gail sat up, scouring her brain for an explanation to give her son. She opened her mouth a few times but closed it just as fast.
"Holly is over like every day, she takes care of me when you go to work, she teaches me things and buys me things. You guys sleep together, you hug, you play, you have fights, you have nights that I'm not aloud to go to. I love Holly, you love Holly, and Holly loves us. Lots of my friends have mommies and daddies that don't live with them and call them by their names." He further explained.
When no one said anything he prompted them.
"Am I wrong?" Shiloh raised his eyebrows in challenge, turning his head from side to side to glance at both women.
Holly and Gail shared a look, both were speechless and quite taken back by the sudden realization of their dynamic. To an outsider, or little boys apparently, it could be seen like that. The three of them did practically everything together, and the bonds between them were special because of it.
Holly had quiet a few friends who had children and yeah she loved them and watched them when she could but it was completely different when it came to Shiloh. She'd been through all ups and downs with the Pecks in front of her.
"No buddy, you're not wrong. But Holly and I are not together in the way that would make her your mom. Those friends of yours who call their moms and dads by their names is because their parents got remarried and so their new spouses are also your friends parent, you understand?" Gail spoke cautiously as she mindlessly played with his hair.
He took that in for a moment, let it bounce around his head and process. "Yeah I get that... You guys love each other so why not just get married and then I can call Holly my mom" Shiloh seemed very happy with himself.
Holly couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I don't know if I'd want to marry your mom, I have it on good authority that she has cooties."
She started to back away as if by saying it she'd catch the germs. Shiloh giggled and jumped out of Gail's arms.
"Fine by me. I wouldn't want to marry a stinky nerd anyway" Gail crossed her arms and looked away.
"Common Shy, let's go make some breakfast for the non cootie people in this house" Holly grabbed the boys hand and together they walked out the door.
It took them the time to get to the stairs before Gail called, "what are you going to make?"
"Probably pancakes and bacon, I'm sure there'll be coffee too. I'll let you know when I'm done stinking up the place and then you can get your own food." Holly yelled back teasingly on their way down the stairs.
"I think I could get used to the stink" Gail was suddenly right behind them.
Both brunets laughed.
Shiloh was appointed the pancake mix -with two sets of very watchful eyes-, Gail the coffee, and Holly the bacon. The morning was filled with their usual banter and laughter, a small fight broke out when Holly threw a blueberry at the blonde -fully intending to get it in Shiloh's waiting mouth but the two were seated very close together on the kitchen counter.
"I might just marry you if you make this every morning" Gail hummed around a mouthful of food.
Holly met her gaze and gave her a crooked smirk.
She'd been watching Gail in a new light since the mornings incident, trying to find what Shiloh had been seeing. Kids were intuitive and saw adults in a way no one else did, but they were also naive and didn't have all pieces to be able to look at the whole picture. So Holly tried to look from his side and see which was at play.
It was fuzzy. It felt weird to look at Gail objectively. She'd always thought the blonde was attractive, it was honestly one of the things that drew her to Gail when they first met, but to cross that line and look at her as attractive was a feat in itself. Weird but eye opening. Maybe there was something there that they had been overlooking, something that they hadn't even thought to look at.
"I think you'd die before the wedding if I did." Holly said before taking a bite of bacon.
"Maybe, but I'd die a very happy woman" Gail beamed at the brunette from across the small table.